Welcome to this week's selection of Picks. Because of the incredible lack of coverage and hype about the Nagano Olympics, we have decided to fill the void with our own delightful and delicious thoughts, impressions, and whimsical musings. (Intriguing, n'est-ce pas?) Though some of you might prefer the official version, we would like to explore with you not only the typical who-did-Tonya Harding-whack-now kind of stories, but the stories behind the stories, and the stories to the front and side of those stories that are behind the original stories, as previously cited above.
The nicest thing about this assignment is that we've managed to avoid a lot of the recent hoopla surrounding President Clinton. Instead we've been merrily catching up on bobsledding and curling, while consciously avoiding any English-language publications. It seems impossible that every newspaper should have published an editorial cartoon about the affair, yet the White House Sex Scandal site has already gathered more than 70 such political funnies...and the collection is growing every day. Perhaps the whole thing will inspire a new Winter Olympic sport -- call it "Skating on Thin Ice."
Now might be a good time to confess that we thought that the Olympics were being held in Nag's Head, not Nagano, which explains why we're stuck here in 40-degree weather with nothing but swimsuits and a little plastic pail. Sure, the games aren't as exciting when you're watching them on the 13-inch black-and-white hotel television, but on the upside: we've caught several installments of "Austin City Limits," the long-running PBS showcase for country singer-songwriters. We were even compelled to check out the show's web site, Austin Cyber Limits, which presents bios, photos, play lists, trivia, and sound clips from the country and pop music stars that have graced the show's stage. It's hard to stay focused on the luge competition when you're downloading Willie Nelson pics. "Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be biathletes..."
When we do go out, our lack of winter clothing has inspired in us a certain fascination with the indoor sports. One event that seems to be drawing a great deal of attention (although we still cannot find any information about it in the official program) is the Blockbuster-Watching Marathon. As near as we can tell, the winner is the one who watches the movie Titanic the most times with the fewest trips to the restroom. Due to prior engagements we've had to bow out of competition, but feel that we've made up for it by reading The James Cameron Interview in the premier issue of Eon Magazine. Of course, there are many other engaging articles, features, and reviews in this new entertainment/sci-fi rag, and just as soon as the Games are over we plan to buckle down and read all about the latest video releases, X-Files doings, and more.
Ahh, so much to wonder at here. Like will Canada cover the 4-broom spread in its curling match against Saudi Arabia? And why does every country have its own national anthem? Some of these proud songs are presented in the booming, grandiose style of a full orchestra, and others are presented, strangely enough, via accordion. England particularly seems to thrive on the melodious little instrument, perhaps due to the influence of Domenic's Accordion Beatles Page, a site that contains such Fab Four hits as Yesterday, A Little Help from My Friends, and Here, There, and Everywhere, all played on that most sublime of instruments. And Domenic, in his great wisdom, has also included the most famous of all Beatles songs, Like a Rhinestone Cowboy. Hail, Domenic.
Yes, our spirits are soaring here in the land of the rising sun. We've discovered the international food fair: samosas, sashimi, souvlaki, and more. We ventured into the Russian pavilion for the bucket o' borscht and scooped up a bonus souvenir: the latest edition of The Exile, a hip alternative zine from Moscow. Waiting in the lime jello line, we read about expatriate prison experiences, industrial accidents, life on the streets, and KGB scare tactics. Also enjoy trenchant pieces on the international media's coverage of Russia, or explore the Web's dark underbelly with Edward Limonov. Dos vedanya, baby!
Have we mentioned it's damned cold out? Did we let slip that we've got cable in our hotel room? Police Academy IV dubbed in Japanese is even funnier than the original. Cannonball Run, however, has lost something in translation. For some more quality entertainment, check out PBS Online's Secrets of the Ocean Realm. This splashy educational site features dazzling underwater photographs, hypnotic screen savers, fun classroom activities, and cool quizzes. Turn your computer monitor into a fun-filled aquarium! We'll be chilling with Leonard Part 6.
As much as we are enjoying our sojourn, though, we will be glad to get back home. Our dog, Bungee, has been acting up lately, and we'd just begun to make some headway with him before we left town. NOVA Online's Animal Hospital has been a great help. It offers pet behavior resources and a handy Q&A section where noted animal experts dispense pearls of pet wisdom. We found several useful tidbits, including "Don't allow your kinkajou to share a water bowl with your cocker spaniel." How true. But meanwhile, the big question is which events to watch...curling, luge, figure skating? It's up to you, take your pick(s).
You can also get Yahoo!'s Weekly Picks delivered to you via NetDelivery
